Persuasion
by cybertronics
Summary: Luke wants a cat. Layton doesn't. So Luke decides to take things into his own hands. Layton/Luke.


**Title: **Persuasion

**Author: **cybertronics

**Rating: **PG-13

**Summary: **Luke wants a cat. Layton doesn't. So Luke decides to take things into his own hands. Layton/Luke.

* * *

"Persuasion is often more effectual than force."

A pause.

"Sallust?"

Layton took a sip from his cup and let the chamomile flavor sting his throat before continuing.

"Aesop. You don't remember, Luke? I vaguely recall quoting that one before. Hm."

His lips mused back and forth along the cup's edges.

"None-the-less, your begging - I'm afraid it isn't working. As endearing as it is."

Luke stood while Layton remained sitting. Luke pouted while Layton ignored. Luke crossed his arms while Layton idly drank.

Not that the professor was completely immune to Luke's undeniably cute - and more often than not, fatally persistant - way of asking, begging, demanding for things. On the contrary, sometimes.

Layton anticipated the childish, persistant-prone charm would fade with age. It didn't. A surprise in the back of a mentor's mind who was never surprised. The only difference was now it came with hints of teenage rebellion and hormonal bitterness. Usually there was a tang of snark thrown in there too. It lead to a fatal combination when mixed with Luke's youthful attractiveness.

And after a clumsy confession just over half a year before, Luke was, in a lot of rights, allowed to use that attractiveness to convince Layton of whatever needed convincing without raising questions. And that was an advantage Luke found himself liking time and time again.

That said, things were infinitely easier when his apprentice's pleading face wasn't directly in Layton's line of sight. The professor turned his attention to the window, not looking at anything in particular.

The dining room was just beginning to seep with the saffron hints of Sunday morning, random rays splaying across the room. A pretty distraction.

"It's just a cat, a baby cat, I promise I'll take care of her. You've got to understand no one else is going to take her in. Plus she's tame. Incredibly tame. Did you see her crawl into my lap after I fed her?"

Ah. Now he was using his "theoretically, anything besides this is must be concluded as utter bull" voice, Layton noted. Luke was at least calculating in his begging, if anything.

"You know, I'm deeply concerned I may have spoiled you far too much when you were younger."

It was said with a slow and light tone accompanied with a playful smile. Luke knew he was teasing, and took a few moments before deciding to play along.

Luke put a hand on the top of either side of the professor's chair. The man replied with nothing but a mere trademark smile. Luke obligingly responded with one of his own.

"Persuasion is more effective than force, correct?" Luke's voice was sly and hinting at all but that he was up to no good and wanted it to be known.

Layton set his tea down and placed his vacant hands in his lap.

"Whatever kind of trick up your sleeve do you have planned this time, my boy? I can't imagine it will -"

Layton's throat hitched immediately when Luke leaned in and began brushing his lips along his mentor's ear.

That kind of trick. Right.

Luke sucked on the soft edges, pressing his tongue along the sensitive skin and making sure to let none of it go to waste. Just to make the process easier, he invited himself into Layton's lap. His legs crisscrossed his mentor's in a tense mess. Layton steadied Luke's waist with both hands.

"I'm not quite sure if - ah - if this qualifies itself as either persuasion or force."

"Well, Professor." Luke continued down along the professor's neck. "You know what they say..."

Luke's lips latched onto the professor's neck possessively. He was being purposefully slow. Testing his patience, despite knowing Layton would forever and always have the upper hand in that.

"'Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.'"

"Sallust."

"Aesop." Luke corrected him, lips still on skin.

Of course. Irony was a beautiful thing.

* * *


End file.
